HDBaseT for Education: Optimizing the Collaborative Classroom - Affiliate News

The Collaborative Classroom

The traditional classroom as an environment where students sit facing the teacher and the board is fast being replaced by a set-up that encourages
increased interaction and collaboration. Whether this set-up means clumping desks together, forming a circle of chairs, or using specially designed furniture, students benefit from the flexibility that a collaborative classroom brings. Although at a basic level the physical set-up of the class is important, even more critical is the underlying technological infrastructure that enables the collaborative classroom of the future.

Connectivity for the Collaborative Classroom

Connectivity is a central element in the collaborative classroom. Connecting different sources of information – whether the school’s servers, the teacher’s personal computer, or even the students’ tablets – to different displays, shared or not by all, defines the core of this classroom. The elements involved may include: displays, projectors, outlets, and information sources (computers, tablets, DVDs etc).

Common Challenges for the Collaborative Classroom

Distance limitations: The collaborative classroom can be a small space, or a larger auditorium, or even a room that can be broken down into smaller
spaces for group discussions. Distance between projectors and displays is an issue, as well as between sources of content and displays.
Cable infrastructure: Many schools will rather take advantage of pre-installed cabling to simplify installations and reduce costs. This usually
translates into category cables, which are also easier to install, and allow for field-termination.
Future-proof technology: Most schools do not have the budget to constantly upgrade their entire connectivity infrastructure. By deploying a standardized, future-proof technology, schools can guarantee the most advanced systems going forward.